“So you are also from the same kingdom as Prince Jared, that is simply marvelous.” A noble who was very loud said as Arianna beamed a smile at the poor unsuspecting man. Jared wondered if that was why Arianna was there with Flynn. To play with his head and bag another rich old noble who was going to die very soon and leave his poor widow everything. “And no one seemed to ask why Flynn is with someone from my kingdom when he swore to kill everybody in it.” Jared snapped, unable to help himself. “Jared.” Flynn tone was filled with reproach. “We are having dinner, let us not bring up old hatches and revenge talks right now. We have the rest of the evening for that.” Flynn said delighted at Jared reactions. This was even going smoother than he had planned. Jared was showing he was affected all by himself and he did not have to do anything. Alexa had already thrown her husband searching looks for the fifth time within the meal and although Flynn was not a lady, he already suspected what might be running through her mind. Jared sighed and although he knew that Flynn’s plan might be along these lines to destabilize him, he could not help but fall into Flynn plans because he had used someone who was clearly still his weakness even after all these time. Arianna did not change, her features might have become a little firmer but she still had that innocent air around her that tend to draw people in by the time they knew that she was not innocent, they were already I too deep to leave and most of the time, most people did not want to leave. Jared was just unfortunate to be one of those people who fell for her charms. “Yes I am from the same kingdom as Lord Jared but we were also friends once upon a time but something happened that disrupted our friendship and when Flynn offered an invitation to come along, I knew that I should try to rekindle our friendship.” “There is nothing to rekindle, if you insist on it, it will be something you did not expect and the result will probably leave you without your life.” Jared returned. “Jared.” Alexa snapped at her husband who had the grace to flush embarrassed at the scene which he has caused. Queen Contessa looked between Arianna and Jared and knew that a lot must have happened between the two of them, a lot more than just the friendship which lady Arianna hinted at. “If you will excuse me, I need to step out for a little bit.” Jared said as he pushed his chair backwards. He could not afford to be the one who ruined Alexa’s efforts because it was certain that he would continue to reply Arianna every single statement she made and that would only lead to questions from Alexa the next day, questions which he did not have answers to. It would be better if he retired early. “But the party is just for you.” Flynn stated and Jared just glared at Flynn before he went out of the dinner room. Flynn looked back at Alexa who was surprisingly looking well and undisturbed by her husband’s departure. “Dessert?” Alexa asked as she clapped her hands as the doors opened with maids bringing in trays. Flynn sighed, what kind of girl was Alexa really if she was not disturbed at the scene she just witness between her husband and an unknown woman. ********* Alexa escaped from the ball, the quickest she could so she could search for her husband, she was hoping to see him in a quiet place so that there will be no one around when she gave him a piece of her mind. She could not believe his actions today, they were inexcusable and then he had the audacity to excuse himself, she had to wear a smile on her face and laugh out loud at the joke which Old Baron told her, the joke she had probably heard a thousand times over since she was a child because Old Baron had nothing new or exciting to tell people about. Alexa was boiling when she left the ball room and by the time she had checked her rooms and Jared rooms with no sigh of Jared, her anger had reduced to a low burn as it slowly turned from anger to worry. Wondering if her husband was alright. Alexa was passing the garden when she heard the voice she despised the most as of that evening, the voice of Lady Arianna, the escort of Prince Flynn who was the reason why Jared was strange. “We were happy as kids. We thought we knew the world then.” She chuckled. When she heard the familiar sigh, she knew she had found her husband but was uncertain if she should interrupt his conversation. “We were nothing but silly kids then.” Jared said. “Exactly Jared, can you not forgive me for the harm I caused you in my childish silliness. I never meant those words.” Arianna begged. “Sure you did not, just as you never meant to throw my ring back at my face and went to marry a man old enough to be your grandfather within two weeks after crushing my heart. The truth of the matter Arianna is that, I would have believed whatever lie you had told me and I probably will still believe the lies but I cannot forgive or forget the pain you caused me.” Jared responded. “You always did find it difficult to let go of situations which should not have any hold over you. I made a mistake and I am genuinely sorry for it.” “I do not want your sorry, I do not need it, the time when I needed it, you were on your honeymoon and as if that was not painful enough, I still could not find it in my heart to hate you because like a fool, I loved you and you probably would be the only female to have that emotion of mine…” Jared said but Arianna cuts in. “Oh Jared.” Arianna breathed out as Alexa had enough, she turned on her heels and ran back to the party she had organized for the man who was confessing his love for another woman, blaming herself for being such a fool because it was indeed at that moment that she realized that Jared really never said he loved her. She was the fool to think that his actions were all of love, displaying his love for her and so she deceived herself into thinking that he loved her when they never really said anything of sort. “You seem winded your highness.” Flynn voice said from her side as Alexa almost jumped out of her skin in fright. “Do not scare me like that again.” Alexa gasped as she tried to calm herself. “Of course I will try.” Flynn replied. “Although you were panting like you were running away from something which scared you.” Alexa thought how aptly Flynn seemed to have gotten his guess right, then she realized that he came with Arianna so maybe he did know why she was already running and had been waiting for her to ridicule her or something. “The fact that I have stopped running shows that I am very unwise because I should have continued. You frighten me.” Alexa returned. Flynn controlled himself not to let his self-satisfied smile show on his face because he has achieved something which would make it easier for him to complete his goal, something which Alexa had just informed him about without knowing what powers her words had given him. “But I have done nothing for you to be scared about.” Flynn pointed out. Alexa could not help her snort at Flynn trying to play as if he was innocent, instead all what he did was to perfectly paint of a picture of a wolf in sheep clothes, it will always been misfitted for him. “You brought Arianna here and suspected that something must have happened between her and Jared and then you waited for me to come running.” Alexa explained. Flynn nodded because she did get what he did right but there are always three sides to the story. The truth, your version of it and the version which the important people who matters see. He has his own version and in this case, no one was more important than Alexa, the wife who held all the power in her hands for this war and was not even aware of the fact that there was a war. “I brought Arianna here and my suspicions are just that, suspicions, nothing else, your husband was the one to prove it right even though I never held him at ransom and he was married. That fact that you came running into me, that is just a bonus. Seeing you in a gown is always a bonus.” Alexa glared at Flynn refusing to saying anything even though she felt disgusted at the way in which Flynn dragged his eyes across her body. “I did not run to you. You stopped me and scared me out of my mind.” She corrected Flynn who paused because he acquiesced to her point with a bow of his head. “True but do you care to share what made you run?” Flynn asked and although Alexa did not want to share, she needed a third opinion, a neutral party that were not her parents and will side with the man because he was the man. “He told his ex that he love her, not something of before, something which existed before I came into the picture but rather something that is very much present. He is married to me but he tells another woman words I wish he would tell me, words that I have never heard from him but fall so easily from his mouth when addressing her.” Flynn paused, that was something which he did not plan for, he never expected that his plan would work this well, this soon. He had to blink a couple of times before he could answer. “That is something which I was not expecting. I will admit when I brought Arianna here, I wanted her company and I wanted to see if Jared still had feelings for her which meant that he had feelings for two of you, I never imagined that the ones he had for her was greater.” Alexa glared at him. “My husband loves me and although he does not say the words, it is very visible in his body language, do not annoy me, Prince Flynn.” “Of course.” Flynn agreed quickly, backtracking. “I moved too fast with my words and for that I apologize. But you should think about it Princess. Your husband left an event organized by you and you see him with his ex-lover, admitting he loves her, that same night. That does not just show lack of love but lack of respect and it is sad that you are going to take this from someone not up to your station but I guess love makes a fool of us all, maybe it will make a big enough fool of you to condone your husband mistress.” Alexa struggled to keep her gaze steady, she felt the truth in Flynn words and she knew that he was probably right but that did not help the sudden stinging she felt in her eyes like tears which is pathetic because only the weak cry for love and she was not weak. “I do not like what you are insinuating.” Flynn sighed. “Again I find myself apologizing, Princess Alexa. I wish you good luck in your marital affairs that seem to include three persons, you, your husband and your husband ex-lover that he apparently still loves.” Flynn bowed before he turned and walked away with a smile. Yes his plans were not only working but they were moving smoothly and very fast too. Alexa felt lost and worst off as she watched Flynn walked off after their conversation, wondering what was going to happen in her marriage because whether she wanted to admit it or not, Flynn had opened her eyes to the reality which she was not seeing and that reality involved three in her union of two and most likely she will be the one left one. Before that would happen through, Alexa was certain of herself, she would leave before she was left but she still needed to think because she was not wreak enough to leave her marriage because of a woman without even trying to get to the root of it all. Not when she had said her views and not when she was able to manage this man out of countless. The worse that could happen was that, neither her nor Arianna would end up with Jared. And even as she tried to get to the root of everything, she was not going to be a fool for Jared. Especially since she was not in love with him yet.